Dairy Grazing Pasture Walk

Dairy Grazing Pasture Walk

Tom and Connie have been farming this farm for the past 18 years. During the early 90's Tom and his father decided to switch to managed grazing because of the challenges of row cropping, competing with deer and the topography of the ground. They are currently milking 130 cows after downsizing due to recent drought, on 180 acres of managed pasture. They are growing the herd and wish to stay around 150 head. The infrastructure of the farm includes a swing-16 Dairymaster parlor, a 300' concrete feedstrip, and a million gallon manure pit. There is no permanent barn and the cows are out-wintered. The grazing management varies with the conditions of the pastures and varying weather conditions. The length of time cows are let on the paddocks also varies and is managed according to growth. Future plans include adding a K-line irrigation system and putting up a free-stall barn.